Newspaper Page Text

The
Hobart
Herald
241
neglected.
For
days
he
would
be
gone
in
the
woods,
going
and
returning
without
a
word
of
explanation.
Just
back
of
the
house
stood
two
lofty
pines,
relics
of
the
primeval
forest.
Between
these
they
had
buried
their
boy.
And
it
was
here
that
her
husband
would
spend
the
long
hours
of
the
twilight,
while
the
red
sun
was
setting
over
the
hills,
and
from
the
east
the
purple
shadows
were
stealing
over
the
sky.
With
rare
exceptions
his
gaze
vras
fixed
in
one
direction,
northward,
through
a
gap
in
the
hills,
where
showed
through
the
trees
the
roof
of
Jonas
Rockford’s
palatial
camp.
And
he
thought
thoughts
that
were
not
good
to
think.
The
deep,
full-toned
roar
of
the
pines
above
him
with
the
night
wind
sweeping
through
the
branches,
had
changed,
as
their
needles
dried
and
withered,
to
a
ghostly,
rushing
sigh,
before
one
evening
the
mail
carrier
came
slowly
up
from
the
house.
“
I
reckoned
I’d
stop
en
let
ye
know,
John,
th
a
t
Rockford
en
all
his
party
cum
up
to
his
camp
today.
I
thought,
I
thought,—
we
wuz
goin’
to
git
rain
yesterday,”
he
finished
lamely.
“
Much
’bliged
Andrew.
I
think
Martha’s
go
t
a
letter
fur
you
to
mail.”
The
man
took
his
dismissal
in
silence,
and
w
ent
slowly
back
to
the
house,
shaking
his
head
doubtfully.
That
night
as
Morey-
left
the
pines,
there
was
a
purposeful
intentness
in
his
demeanor
in
place
of
the
abstracted
apathy
of
the
last
two
months.
The
red
ball
of
the
sun
hung
rayless
just
above
the
eastern
horizon.
A
faint
film
of
smoke
filled
the
air
with
its
aromatic
odor,
and
dulled
the
outline
of
the
distant
hills.
John
Morey,
looking
back
for
a
moment
before
he
plunged
into
the
woods,
saw
two
pines
rising
sentinel
like
over
a
little
mound
of
earth.
But
his
grief
had
long
since
lost
its
wrenching
personality,
and
been
replaced
by
a
hard,
impersonal
longing
to
secure
atonement.
His
mind,
warped
by
continuous
brooding,
beheld
in
Rockford
an
inhuman,
unfeeling
creature,
careless
of
others,
a
partial
personification
of
the
power
of
-wealth,
implacable
and
insatiable.

Newspaper Page Text

The Hobart Herald 241 neglected. For days he would be gone in the woods, going and returning without a word of explanation. Just back of the house stood two lofty pines, relics of the primeval forest. Between these they had buried their boy. And it was here that her husband would spend the long hours of the twilight, while the red sun was setting over the hills, and from the east the purple shadows were stealing over the sky. With rare exceptions his gaze vras fixed in one direction, northward, through a gap in the hills, where showed through the trees the roof of Jonas Rockford’s palatial camp. And he thought thoughts that were not good to think. The deep, full-toned roar of the pines above him with the night wind sweeping through the branches, had changed, as their needles dried and withered, to a ghostly, rushing sigh, before one evening the mail carrier came slowly up from the house. “ I reckoned I’d stop en let ye know, John, th a t Rockford en all his party cum up to his camp today. I thought, I thought,— we wuz goin’ to git rain yesterday,” he finished lamely. “ Much ’bliged Andrew. I think Martha’s go t a letter fur you to mail.” The man took his dismissal in silence, and w ent slowly back to the house, shaking his head doubtfully. That night as Morey- left the pines, there was a purposeful intentness in his demeanor in place of the abstracted apathy of the last two months. The red ball of the sun hung rayless just above the eastern horizon. A faint film of smoke filled the air with its aromatic odor, and dulled the outline of the distant hills. John Morey, looking back for a moment before he plunged into the woods, saw two pines rising sentinel like over a little mound of earth. But his grief had long since lost its wrenching personality, and been replaced by a hard, impersonal longing to secure atonement. His mind, warped by continuous brooding, beheld in Rockford an inhuman, unfeeling creature, careless of others, a partial personification of the power of -wealth, implacable and insatiable.